By-Law G-2

c. G-2

BY-LAW CONCERNING TOURIST GUIDES

1. In this by-law, the following words mean:

“guided tour”: a guided tour of historic sites, buildings and monuments, picturesque places or of a cultural character;

“to guide”: to act as a tourist guide;

“tourist guide” or “guide”: a person who holds a certificate of qualification as such, issued by an institution accredited by the Ministère de l’Éducation et de la Science, and designated by the executive committee.

2. No guided tours may be conducted without the permit referred to in article 7.

3. Article 2 does not apply to a prerecorded text, provided it is broadcast inside a vehicle and has been filed beforehand with the city archives, together with a certificate from the director of the Service du développement économique attesting to its accuracy.

95-085, a. 42.

4. Article 2 does not apply to persons who conduct tours only of the institution or establishment where they work.

5. A pilgrimage involving the tour of more than one place of worship or other places in the city is a guided tour; guides must hold the permit provided for in article 7.

6. Each firm or organization offering guided tours must hire guides holding the permit referred to in article 7.

7. A tourist guide permit is issued to any person who is a tourist guide and complies with chapter II of the By law concerning special taxes on businesses, occupations and activities (chapter T-3). However, volunteer guides are exempted from paying permit issue fees.

95-246, a. 31.

8. In the discharge of his duties, each tourist guide must:

(1) display the identification card provided by the city and bearing his photograph and tourist guide permit number on the first side, and social insurance number on the back;

(2) be properly and decently dressed;

(3) not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs;

(4) convey information strictly in accordance with historical, geographic, economic, social and cultural facts.

9. No vehicle used for guided tours may be parked elsewhere than at a station designated for that purpose by the director of the Service des travaux publics.

10. No tourist guides may, whether on sidewalks, on streets, in parks or in public places:

(1) address passers-by by words or gestures, and offer them their services or those of their employers;

(2) conduct advertising for commercial establishments, restaurants, hotels or similar establishments;

(3) impede pedestrian traffic.

11. The director of the Service du développement économique may require that tourist guides who, before August 30, 1984, held a tourist guide permit under the By-law concerning tourist guides (2519), to pass a qualifying examination whose conditions he determines. No person who fails that examination may have his permit renewed. However, a new permit may be obtained by complying with the provisions of article 7.

95-085, a. 43.

12. The executive committee may, by ordinance:

(1) designate the institutions authorized to issue tourist guide certificates of qualification;

(2) set the eligibility and other terms and conditions governing tourist guide courses and examinations, examination subject matter, applicant evaluation criteria, and procedure to obtain related certificates;

(3) provide periodic retraining courses for tourist guides, and set their terms and conditions;

(4) establish a tourist guide language proficiency evaluation method;

(5) plan guided tours;

(6) require that tourist guides file their fee schedule or set their fees.

13. Any peace officer or city agent who believes on reasonable grounds that a person not holding the permit provided for in this by-law acts as a tourist guide may order that person to immediately cease all activities. Any person who fails to comply with the order of a peace officer or city agent, or resumes work after having stopped, contravenes this by-law.

14. Any person who contravenes this by-law is guilty of an offence and is liable:

(1) for a first offence, to a fine of $100 to $300;

(2) for a second offence, to a fine of $300 to $500;

(3) for a subsequent offence, to a fine of $500 to $1000.

15. A tourist guide who has been convicted of 2 offences under this by-law in the same year loses the right to renew his permit for a period of one year following the one during which he was found guilty of a second offence.

January 12, 1996